Now the kids are back in school, I finally had the chance to skulk around in Debenhams Perfume Hall without reprisals. Bravely soldiering through the enticing displays, I managed to whittle my list down to Perfumes I Hadn’t Tried Before, rather than revisiting old favourites. I was aiming for Florabotanica, but the Tester wasn’t there. I’m quite glad, because today, reader, I found a fragrance to fall in love with. Call it serendipity, or call it Rosabotanica.

Rosabotanica opens with an abundance of green notes: glorious leafy fig and tomato leaves. Even greener were the orange leaves, aka petitgrain, which added a zingy bitterness that was most welcome. This delightful opening was enhanced by touches of citrus, namely grapefruit. After this vibrant opening, the roses and hyacinth start to come in. The rose smells authentically deep: red and velvety. I could almost feel those cool, waxy petals. The green figgy notes stop it from being cloying. Not that I mind cloying rose- I’ll take my rose in any old form, I’ve never turned one down. The rose hooks up with the fig and all settles down into a beautiful floral scent with a good dose of woody cedar and earthy patchouli as the base notes settle down for the day.

My only wish is that it were stronger, because I wanted to really marinade in this. Rosabotanica has all the best bits from a fresh garden: grassy cuttings, fresh figs and green tomato vines. The rose is delicate yet rich and the hyacinth always says spring to me. I’d wear this all year round and every day.

As much as I love Fig, if it is overdone or used with a heavy hand, I can feel as if I have eaten too many sultanas. However, when used with a light hand and blended beautifully with other ingredients, as it has been here, Fig can hold its own and be drop dead gorgeous.

MillerHarris.com

Miller Harrisis a trusty brand. You will never buy a bad Miller Harris. Packaging is good, quality of ingredients is good, Perfumer Lyn Harris is highly respected within the industry and they don’t produce mass market crowd pleasers.

Miller Harris Figue Ameretakes fig leaf and surrounds it with friends so that it looks good. Alone, I find it de trop, but here it is deliciously musky, with a little ambery heat and a depth that is both golden and glorious.

Fig leaf is combined with violet leaf to keep things as light as a petal. bergamot and mandarin are used to keep it sharp. The basenote brings in the heavy mob with cedar, moss and amber. Every stage is divine and addictive, and somehow Oriental. It is rich, seductive, warm and yet light at the same time. Fig leaf is showcased against three different backgrounds, like a Three Act Play, and in each one, it emerges as the star. Miller Harris once again comes up trumps. This is wonderful stuff, and if you ever get the chance, or get your mitts on a sample, I urge you to give it a go.

One thing’s for sure. Having spent a few days alone with this, I can now Fig spot from ten feet away.

telegraph.co.uk

To me, Fig is rich and creamy with heavy green notes around the edges. The fruitiness is like smelling the dried fruit of a Christmas cake before you add it to the mix. Fig equals Sultanas, Milk and green leafery. However there is one caveat that stops me fully embracing the figginess of Premier Figuier. There is to my nose, an animalic or musky note that vividly reminds me of a scene in my life many years ago. No names, no pack drill. Gather round for a fireside story with ole IScentYouADay.

Many moons ago I knew someone who had sterling family ancestry, pots of money and was quite the aristocrat. However, he had the most appalling personal hygiene. So shocking was it, that the entire abode in which he lived smelled to High Heaven. Clothes, furniture and air carried the unwashed stench around from room to room and even onto the street when the door was open. This man, who was terribly nice, and is massively unlikely to be reading this (I hope), had a girlfriend who doused herself in Guerlain Samsara. You may notice I have never reviewed Samsara.

The end result is that despite Samsara having no fig, Premier Figuier reminds me of that brief window in time when my nose was trying to divide the musk of stale BO from the Green, fruity rich Samsara.

This is in no way the fault of this lovely Fig perfume, since Premier Figuier is beautifully put together. There are many non fig notes listed: Asfoetida, Fruity notes, Fig leaf, and Sandalwood.

But all I can smell is Fig and Musk, and that rather fetid London Spring of 94.